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DESCRIPTIVE MOTES liE IIiSIBE POCKET

FOLKWAYS RECORDS Album No. FA 2371 © 1964 Folkways Records & Service Corp., 43 W. 61st St., NYC, USA

rRAGTlMi"BLU'ECRASS f' and other In.trllmental.

played by ! ROGER SPRUNG

and hi. \ Iluegrall All-Stan

'ea_uring 5-STRING IANJO-ROGER SPRUNG

lead guitar - Jon Sholle rhythm guitar - Hank Miller

back-up guitar - Larry Dunn

mandolin - Jody Stecher fiddle - Gene Lowlnger

ball - Frank lenedetto II drum. & wa.hboard - lob Tho-"'·"''''

fOLKWAYS RECORDSPA 2371

PROGRESSIVE RAGTIME

Dedicated to Paul Cadwell by Roger Sprung

Notes - by Lionel Kilberg

SIDE I

Band 1. Dill Pickle Rag Band 2. Shoot The Turkey :&tzBard Band 3. Misirlou. Band 4. Chinatown Band 5. Puff The Magic Dragon Band 6. Tiger Rag

SIDE II

Band 1. Sweet Georgia Brown, Band 2. Oie Oordons Band 3. Silver Rainbow Band 4. Arkansas Traveler Band 5. How High The Moon Band 6. Georgia Camp Meeting Band 7. That's A-Plenty

The new sounds on this album are the product of the instrumental facility, ingenuity and imagination of Roger Sprung. The titles of some of these pieces are known far and wide, and others are the result of research. The arrangements are an entity in them­selves and a product of the virtuosity of a group of polished musicians. They are reminiscent of early and exciting Jazz Records; but don't be misled, this is not all Jazz. It is something new, different and exciting.

The banjo style that is used by Roger is a combina­tion of the known and much used styles as well as a style which, for want of a better description, I call classical. In this style, phrases are more fully melodic and less confined to arpeggio patterns. In addition they are heightened through a new dimension of syncopation.

For this style Roger gives credit to Paul Cadwell whose instrumental style is radically different from that which we are prone to expect.

The 5 string banjO and the mandolin did not make the transition from folk music to jazz in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The reason was their subdue tone and volume qualities. However, with the advent of steel strings, resona­tors, steel finger picks and electronic equipment the performing boundaries have been pushed away and new things have emerged.

2

The First Piece on the album is the Dill Pickle Rag, which was learned from Paul, who tells us that in 1907 or 1908 when it was written it swept the country as a Rag. The Rag is a piece of music that is highly syncopated. The melodic line and banjo approach to this was learned by Roger from Paul but in this recording he combines the Bluegrass and Rag styles.

Shoot the Turkey Buzzard was learned from fiddler Byard Ray in Walnut Gap, North Carolina on one of Roger's annual treks to the South. It is remin­isant of the Wild Goose Chase which appears in Progressive Bluegrass # 1. The Haunting frailing style makes you want to play it over several times before moving on.

Misirlou originally a Greek melody used in the folk dancing world, was recorded many years ago as a popular rhumba. Roger approaching it with taste, does it to the accompaniment of drums, bass viol and slap guitar.

Chinatown certainly needs no introduction, having been familiar to at least 3 generations.

Puff the Magic Dragon will be familiar to most as a popular song that stayed with us for several months only recently. Here in an all instrumental version Roger brings out new possibilities for it's treatment".

The Tiger Rag has been described to us by Al Bluhm, a one time member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, as being the Pep Pill inserted at functions that needed a boost because they were dragging. Roger learned it while working with Bob Thompson's Dixieland Footwarmers at Jimmy Ryan's. Bob plays the washboard on this number and is the percussionist throughout.

Roger has pointed out that the standard dixie land group usually consists of Trumpet which he has replaced with his banjo: Trombone replaced by two guitars: Clarinet, replaced by Mandolin and fiddle: and Bass and Drums which remain. There is also ·an additional Guitarist whose sole purpose is to tie the group together with straight chord rhythms.

Sweet Georgia Brown which has an unusually out­standing Mandolin solo by Jody Stecher and equal­ly interesting guitar solo by Jon Sholle a 15 year old wonder, is another that demands replaying.

Gie Gordons another folk dance tune is Scottish in origin and since it is a walking dance it didn't require too much to make a march of it. To heighten this effect it is crescendoed in. We get the feeling of an approaching parade. Roger learn­ed this at Michael Herman's Folk Dance House in which he spent many a happy dancing hour.

AI Bluhm tells us that the first time he heard Silver Rainbow was in 1912 at the Crystal Palace on 14th street and 4th avenue. The player Piano, which was a popular device due to there having been no juke boxes at the time, was playing it. The first part of this piece is rarely heard, but on this album it's all there. The solo and ensem­ble work on this piece made Al comment that they were really ragging it.

On every record album you have you will find one cut that you can't help going back to. When you pull out the album to play for yourself or some­one els e, you tend to play it. That's the way I feel about the Arkansas Traveler. Hank Miller and John Sholle have the swingingest double Guitar solo and Roger uses three different people's styles as well as his own.

The first time around it's Hobart Smith's melody. Second Paul Cadwell's style. Third is Vess Ossman's who died in the 20's and lastly and lasting­ly bound together by Roger's own.

In How High the Moon a standard of many years duration, Gene Lowinger, who had been fiddling through the rest of the album, borrowed the bass from Frank Benedetto and with Bob Thompson on Washboard added still another different sound to this album.

Georgia Camp Meetin~ was another piece acquired fromgPaul Cadwell. t It was a Cake walk, " says AI

Bluhm," composed by Kerry Mills in the 1900's. It was a big hit throughout the country. The Cakewalk was a dancing contest popular amongst the Negro Population of the day and the couple that won got the cake. "Thus the origin of "You take the cake. "

This is believed to have been the second Cake walk written, the first Smoky Mokes written by Abe Holzman in 1898 was recorded by Roger in Progres­sive Bluegrass #1.

Thats-A-Plentya traditional Dixieland tune, was part of Roger's Jazz repertoire for many years and when he got together with Fred Ross, of the vaudeville team Ross and Ross, he realized that the 5-string banjo could do mnch with it.

Roger in recording this album almost drove the engineers to drink by insisting that the musicians stay close together while recording rather than spread about on different microphones and the spirit of cooperation is obvious in the way they spark each other.

Writing notes for an album of this calabre is like stealing money because after one listening they practically write themselves. If you haven't been reading this while listening, it's time you put down the notes and concentrated on enjoying yourself. Thanks for reading me.

Lionel Kilberg

I DEDICATE THIS ALBUM TO MY FRIEND

Roger Sprung-

5 String Banjo

PAUL CADWELL WHO HAS INSPIRED ME

WITH MANY NEW IDEAS FOR THE BANJO.

Hank MiHer-

2hd Guitar

ROGER HOWARD SPRUNG

Jody Stecher­

If.a.ndolin

Jon Sholle­Lead Guiltar

3

Larry Ilunnl­

Baokup Guitar

Fr~ Benedet~ Il­Bass

Gene Lowinger­Fiddle

COUNTRY MUSIC ON FOLKWAYS RECORDS

OU> TIME " IILUEGRASS

by Jobll Coben

Tbi. i. to .erve as an introduction to one se~nt at tbe Folkways catalo~ whicb represent. sometbing at the seeds and. source. tor a d,ynamic aspect of American talk music whicb baa tound a voice in the cities and college. in recent years. For tbe most part, thi. h ,.,untain ... aic derived trom tbe rural soutb.

There h nov an excitement about this music through­out tile colleseB and eltie., amongst young people vile are t1nd.iQ8 a voice in this IlUsle, and vbo are _king It tbalr ovn voice.

There are a sr-t range ot approaches to thi. mu.le, and a Ueat _ny styles involved; yet inherent in tbh ,.,vement h a deslre to re_tn close to the traditional vay. at playlng tbe music.

The IIOve_nt, diverse as it h, bas taken on a structure whieb baa 1 ta heroe., artiatic leaders, legendary cbaracters, a sort of language at ita own, and. several. sen.eless contuaions and stereo­types applied to it.

Mucb at tbe clamor about tbis music bas come fro. banjo pickers &< guitar Bingers woo ba;'" brought the music to everyone'. attention by their very entbusiasa. It is their excitement about tbe mUBic whicb bas co-...icated tirst. But there i. mucb ,.,re to be beard and understood.

These spirited muslcians are otten 'put dovn' tor being _rely 'etbllic ll11tators' by the very ...... people vbo recognize tbat tradt tional talk 1lU81c 18 tbe only ae.thetically complete folk music to be beard.

AltOOugh it is relatively new In its present litua­tion, thi ..... ic is part at one at the oldest American tr.dl tions. It ba. ita roots in tbe music at the early settler., and. baa received fresh vigor over the ;years trolll develolD8nt. vithin American culture Wbicb bave introduced new sounds and new Inst~ts to this tr.dltion, as ve:u. as new rbythloa and. barw>nlea to accompany the cbanglng social functlons the llU8ic ba. pertonled.

It 1. part at an active and progressive tradltion, yet it bas alvays atntained a terrific senee at re.pect and preservatlon tor its ovn past. In thi. vay elAment. trom year. ago are still consl­dered a •• igniflcant to tbe pre.ent day .... ic by those vbo pertOI'1l and. live vi tb tbis music.

Within old ti_ .tring band. alaie, blueua.s and. Ju.t baM pertoraoee., are found trance. at the old ballad .tyle. at .inging, ot bagpipe and tiddle sound.e trom the Br1tiab I81es, .. vell a. sound.e of the aent1me"tal songs from the 19th century, minstrel .t&iP> song., early Negro blue., r~bM tro. Jazz a. vell a. tho.e DOV toUDd in rocl<-and-roll.

One significant and UIportant a.pect at the cur­rent city trend. towards thi. llU8ic ia that it baa presented a ... y to enjoy and. under.tand the popular .... ic, vitbout sentimentality and vitb­out 1o.lng the per.pective ot culture as a vbole. It ia oul¥ in the nature at tJl1a perspectlve tbat tba urban intere.t difterl tro. the country tra­ditlon. 'l'h1. can ueltbar be pral8ed nor lAment­eel, nor can it be overlooked. It .... t be recog­nlzed, for 11; ia the ba.is upon vhicb an Intelll­gent approacb can develop to the IaIIj' ideas vhleb U'e beillE> encountered In the current investigation of fall< .... lc.

Tbe UIportance at academic .cbolarabip can DOt be denieel: neitller can an excited -.tional involve­Mnt. It 18 only vben folk music becomes Just a tOI'1l at entertainment, in tile IIOre eo_reial sense or tbat vord, that it 1& belng abueed.

That tba iDYe.tisation ba. become IIOre l1l<e ·an invol~t of 10Ye or art, 18 to the credit at tbe inftatisator.. If city people bave found tbat country alaic ia -..ingtul to tba., then thi. i. a genuine enrichment at their lives.

The IIOre one get. invol vee!. in tbl. llU8i c, the ..re one realize. the cba.raeter at an old tradition at vorl<, ·and ·tIIe a.toniabing directness and .impli­city 1n the approacb ot tile traditional artht. An UDder.tanding ot tile alaic opens up tile po.­.ibilitie. tor us all to get tile mo.t pl.-.ure and. rew.rd tro. the.e old song., and. tro. tile people vbo .ing thea.

In various college CUlpUse. and. citie. DOV, folk mu.ic · societie. and. te.tival. are emerging vh1cb incorporate active re-.-eb vitb song collecting, concert prodUCing, and. llU8ic playing. Atone scbool, on .the event of a New Lo.t City Rulbler concert, the talk .... ic aoeiety in~reaeed ita me .... rabip by 100, a panel discusa10n vaa lleld vitb univer.ity faculty and. visiting musiciana partiCipating, a .tudent string-band va. tozwed, and a local Blueuass band of country 1<14& ... 8 'diacovered' and incorporated into the gen­eral univeraity talk .ong 8cene. In addition to thi., a regular publication .... started. At another place, serious diacouapbical researcb is beill6 done and a record at rare re-18aue. of early hill llU8ic _s releaeed. Concert. are being produced emplQying traditional artists; this is no longer a unlque situation. 'roe Uni­versity at Chicago Folk F~stival, the Berkeley 'edival, tbe Friends at OU> Time ""8ic, and tbe A8b Grove in Los Angeles, are all pointing the vay towards an intelligent enjoy.ent of traditional toll< music.

Wi thin the FolkWoys catalog is a group of record­ing vhicb present the scope and. nature at the various tacet. at thi. _ic. Folkways baa been consi.tent in it. preaentation at thi. auaic aa it 18 traditionally and autbantically pertor.zd. FA2951 (Vol. 1) - Ballads: 27 traditional ballads pertonoed by The Carter l"aIIl1ly, Clarence Ashley, Buell Kazee, Carolina Tar Heels, Furry Levi., Charlie Poole vith the North Carolina Rulblera, G. B. Grayson, Tile M&slted Morvel, ''chubby'' Parker, IaIIj' other •• 2 l2-incb 33-1/3 rpm longplay records

FA2952 (Vol. 2) Social Music: 29 selectio.,. pertonoed by B&aeoa LUiiatol'd, Blind Willie Johnson, Carter JI'am1ly, Sacred Harp Singers, Bunt Stephens, A Hunt's Ramblera, The Pep-Stepper.,· ·Cincinnati Jug Band., otbers. 2 12-incb 33-1/3 rpm longplay records

FA2953 (Vol. 3) Song.: 28 selections incl. East Virginia, One 1tlrn1116 In Moy, SUgar Baby, Itluntaineer'. Courtabip, 99 Year Bluel, K.C. )t)&n, Fiabing Blue., etc., pertonoed by Uncle Dave Macon, Bllnd LellOn Jefferaon, Clarence Aahley, Cannon. Jug Stomper., carter Family, John Burt, "Docl<" BoU., Stonean P'amily, any ,.,re. 2 12-incb 33-1/3 rpm longplay record.

The AntOOloH of American Folk Music PA 295 , PI 2952, FA 2953 This collection i8 a most comprc­hensive one, aDd give. an incisive look into the folk music current from 1927 to 1932 as recorded by the commercial record-1ne companies of that t~. Good representation of rural muSiC, witb ... ny imlJOrtant arti8te represented, ed, and annotated by Harry SIIIl tb, Vnl, 1 Ballads: Some Ch1ld Ballads, and many a tber old sonea 1n tile ballad tradition, suns as current and popular songs in 19Z1, etc. Vol. 2 Social Mu8ic: Dance music and religiOUS music. Botb white and Negro tradltion8. Many instrumental pleces, Vol. 3 Songs: Excellent collection of country aongs and any blues. Important artist_ in this collec­tion.

Cl:.l"cw:.: A.5nl":.) Buell Kaz .... Dick Justic '_ Uncle t:cl< iJ..n!'orc1 Burne'''; &< Rutherford Co :· ...,r & Youns Carolina Tar Heels

Mias. John Hurt Furry Levi. J1lson Sc'tters Eck Robertson Uncle David Macon Blind Lemon Jeffer50n Dock BoU_

Grayson &< \/hitter Tile Carter ·Family Kelly Harrell Frank Butchi80n Charlie Poole Ba.co. Lunsford Jl. Jackson Ernest Phipps E.V. Stonuan Blind Willie Johnaon

uneo .. U.s.A. ~1"